There are many situations in which support panels of sheet metal or the like must be adjoined to moldings or other coverings. For esthetic and functional reasons it may be undesirable to utilize screws or other connectors extending through the outer covering structure. In such environments it is known to adhere single-piece snap clip fasteners to an inner face of the moldings or other coverings using tape or other adhesive materials. Outwardly projecting portions of the fasteners then snap into slots in the support panel.
The prior single-piece snap clip systems have faced difficulties in adjusting for positional variations between the support panels and the trim. Specifically, in the prior systems, the snap clips may be difficult to align precisely with the acceptance openings in the support panels due to manufacturing variations and/or thermal expansion. To compensate for such variation it has been common practice to utilize elongated acceptance slots rather than holes in the underlying support panel to provide an extended insertion target for the fastening clip. However, the use of acceptance slots rather than holes may not provide ideal sealing. Thus, a larger sealing element may be required to cover the slot. Prior systems have sometimes also faced difficulty in providing strong bonding relationships between the clip and the tape or other adhesive structure providing the connection to the molding. In this regard, the desired materials for use in providing a strong snap-in relation between the clip and the backing panel may be difficult to adhere to the tape or other adhesive connector. Thus, additional tape or other adhesive may be required to secure the clip to the trim element. Prior systems have also provided limited ability for removal and replacement. In this regard, in the prior single-piece system, once the connection is made, there is limited ability to remove the trim element for servicing without damaging the clips and/or the trim element in the process. It has also been difficult to achieve effective straight loading while maintaining a low overall profile for the clips.
Consequently, there is a continuing need for a low profile snap clip fastener that adapts to manufacturing variances and thermal expansion and which can be readily disengaged for servicing following initial attachment.